


Hiding in the closet

by Lookatallmyships



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, I used a little artistic license as the author, Reader is gender neutral, Reader-Insert, Scientist!Reader, so you the reader love fiddler on the roof
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2019-12-02
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:27:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21642931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lookatallmyships/pseuds/Lookatallmyships
Summary: You are a scientist employed by Stark Industries. Much to your displeasure, you're obligated to attend company fund-raising events. You happen to meet someone else who just might hate these functions as much as you do.
Relationships: Bruce Banner/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 34





	Hiding in the closet

**Author's Note:**

> I have so many wips... I keep starting more and then not continuing them. Please send help.

Large social functions have never really been your thing. It's one thing to go to a small party with friends, but an entirely different situation when it's a giant work function with a couple hundred people. You only hold a minor position here at Stark Industries as a lower-level scientist, but unfortunately your entire team was still obligated to attend. Shortly after arriving, you'd made your way around the room. Going through the motions of introducing yourself around, congratulating colleagues on various grants received or papers published, and buttering up the various investors in attendance. 

Now that you'd taken care of that, well. You might be hiding in a storage closet. A co-worker had asked you to hang their coat up for them, and the solace of the dark empty space had proven too tempting for you to resist. Your current plan is to hunker down for awhile and then stealthily re-insert yourself into the crowd once you start hearing signs of the function winding down. You sigh. It would have been nice if you'd thought to bring a book with you or something. The closet was kind of dim, the only light leaking in from the crack above the door, but you could have used the flashlight on your phone to read by.

You're idly scrolling through twitter on your phone, when the closet door suddenly swings open. Before you can pick yourself up off the floor and come up with an explanation for what you were doing, a man steps inside and quickly shuts the door behind him. He doesn't immediately notice your presence, so you get a few moments to study him.

The man has curly brown hair that you think might have a touch of grey to it, although it's hard to tell in the dark, and he's wearing your typical white lab coat overtop a purple button up shirt. You suppose that was once perk, that they'd decided to include the event with a casual dress-code. It looks like he would be taller than you if you were standing, but not by a lot. He doesn't look all that familiar, so you assume he must work in a different division than you. 

The man turns around, inhaling sharply in surprise when he notices you sitting on the floor. "My apologies, I didn't know this closet was occupied."

You smile. "It's alright, I can share. Are you hiding from the 'festivities', too?"

He grimaces. "Big events like this aren't really my thing."

"God, I know what you mean. Give me a lab to work in or a quiet corner with a good book, and I'm perfectly happy. Surrounded by a couple hundred people all talking at once... not so much." 

The scientist smiles. "If only certain other people felt the same..."

The way he trails off makes it sound as if he's thinking of someone in particular, and you wonder who it might be.

Shaking your head, you scooch over a bit. "Want to sit? I wouldn't mind the company."

Bruce smiles. "Sure, why not." He eases himself down to sit across from you on the floor.

Realizing you still haven't introduce yourself, you hold out a hand. "My name is y/n. I'm one of the scientists working in Stark Industries' Animal Science division."

Shaking your hand, he says "I'm Bruce. I do this and that, but my main focus is nuclear physics," with a look of mild amusement on his face.

You smile. You're about to comment on the impressiveness of his field of work, when Mr. Garrity's (a particularly verbose and headstrong investor) booming voice reaches the two of you through the door. You can hear a polite greeting in response from whatever poor soul he'd happened to corner.

The two of you share a look, thankful that you aren't in their place.

A smile spreads across Bruce's face. "You like Fiddler on the Roof?" You look at him in confusion and he gestures at the necklace you're wearing. 

You huff out a laugh and pick up the charm so you can study it for a moment. The pendant is a square acrylic charm with a silhouette of a man holding a violin in one hand, bow outstretched over his head in the other. "I forgot I was wearing this." You smile. "I love Fiddler on the Roof. My best friend and I used to have movie nights all the time when we were kids, and we watched the movie one night when we'd run out of other options" you laugh. "I've loved it ever since."

Bruce smiles, eyes lighting up with a genuine warmth unlike what you've seen so far, and you're struck by how handsome he looks.

"Have you ever seen it performed live?" 

You shakes your head. "No, but I'd love to! I keep meaning to see if it's coming to a nearby theater, but I just never get around to it."

Bruce opens his mouth, but before he can speak the door flies open.

Standing on the other side- thankfully with his body positioned to block anyone's view from outside- is none other than Tony Stark himself.

You stare up at the billionaire in surprise. You hadn't even remotely expected to run into him here. Usually Mr. Stark avoids events like this like the plague. 

Tony eyes land on the two of you sitting on the floor and he dramatically clasps a hand to his chest with a gasp. "Why, I didn't expect canoodling in a closet from you Doctor Banner!"

Your head whips around and you gape at Bruce. "What?" You face reddens in embarrassment. Of course you knew of Dr. Bruce Banner, who doesn't? But you didn't exactly go around staring at photos of him frequently enough to recognize him by sight in a dark closet.

The scientist shrugs sheepishly. "It was nice not being treated differently for being an Avenger."

"Also a world-renowned scientist, MIT graduate, and holder of seven PhD's" Tony shrugs. "But that's neither here nor there."

Bruce shoots Tony a wry smile. "Of course."

You look back and forth the two Avengers. You can't help but wonder what Bruce Banner of all people is doing sitting on a dingy closet floor with you, some random low-level scientist. Stark Industries employs hundreds of people just like you.

Tony smirks. "Well don't let me interrupt you two, I'm just here in search of Mrs. Adelaide's fur coat." He looks at the bar full of coats hanging above the two of you, and reaches over to grab the coat in question. Tony makes to leave, but before he can shut the door, Bruce calls after him. 

"Hey, Tony."

He pauses, poking his head back through the doorway. "Hm?"

"You think I could take you up on that offer of tickets to the theater?"

Tony grins. "Sure thing buddy, what did you have in mind?"

"I'd love two tickets to Fiddler on the Roof if you could manage it."

"Gotcha" Tony winks and shuts the door behind him.

You frown. "Are you even sure that it's playing right now?"

Bruce shrugs. "It's playing somewhere in the country." He laughs at the expression on your face. "I'm sure you've heard enough about Tony to know that he's more than happy to spare no expenses."

You shake you head, but you can't keep a smile from stealing across your face. 

"I'd love to get to know you better. Would you do me the honor of accompanying me to the theater sometime in the near future?" Bruce asks with an earnestly hopeful look on his face.

"Do you think I'll have trouble getting time off from work?"

"I have a feeling it won't be a problem" Bruce deadpans. 

You grin. "I would love to."

**Author's Note:**

> I looked online and then picked some stuff for Bruce's credentials. Please forgive me it it's lacking in accuracy/combines universes.
> 
> Here's the silhouette on the pendant: https://imgur.com/a/gKM9qKh


End file.
